This invention relates to a device for stabilizing a gas line meter connected to a gas line being led into a building and more specifically to a device that prevents the gas meter from settling as fill dirt surrounding the gas line settles.
When new buildings are built, dirt is removed to provide space for construction of a foundation or below ground floor. If gas is to be used in the building for heating, a gas line, taken from a feeder line, is installed across the space left by the removed dirt into a position adjacent to the foundation wall. An incoming gas supply line is usually made of plastic. Buildings codes generally require that any gas pipes above ground must be made of metal. A transition fitting is fitted to the end of the plastic gas supply line to provide a metal fitting having external threads. Conventional metal pipes can then be screwed to the external threads of the transition fitting. The gas line is then directed upwardly to gas meter above ground for easy access by a gas meter reader. The gas line runs from the meter to a gas line running into the building.
After the gas line is installed in the trench, the removed dirt is placed again in the space from which is was taken covering the gas line in the process. Problems develop when this fill dirt settles. The settling causes the gas line to settle with the dirt pulling the meter to which it is attached downwardly and away from the building. This presents an aesthetic as well as safety problems since the gas line and its connections are also disturbed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for preventing a gas meter connected to a gas line from settling with the settling of the gas line.